How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 92

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

【Chapter 92】
But as always, happiness was fleeting.
“…You have to leave now?”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t keep the restaurant closed indefinitely. The area has recovered to a certain extent anyway.”
The Restaurant Owner’s Wife was right. During the two weeks they’d distributed free gukbap, the surrounding ruins had gradually begun to reclaim their former appearance.
‘They run another restaurant elsewhere, so they can’t stay here forever. I knew that already, didn’t I?’
Yet the disappointment and emptiness were unavoidable. Rather than voice these thoughts, Hyun-woo bit his lip hard and lowered his head.
“That’s good. I have to study anyway, so I wouldn’t have time to come here.”
Then he spun around and collapsed onto a pile of boxes in the distance. Fortunately, Ha-neul was still at school. If I saw that child’s face, I’d foolishly burst into tears.
The Restaurant Owner’s Wife seemed concerned and occasionally glanced back at Hyun-woo, but he stubbornly kept his gaze fixed on the ground. I knew I was being childish and immature, yet controlling my emotions proved difficult.
As I sat there in gloomy silence, staring at the ground, Ha-neul’s cheerful voice rang out from the distance. I reflexively lifted my head, and Ha-neul spotted me too, breaking into a bright smile and waving enthusiastically.
“Oppa~! Have you eaten dinner?”
Hyun-woo hesitated, then raised his hand slightly in response.
“No, not yet….”
“What? I can’t hear you!”
“I haven’t eaten yet!”
Hyun-woo raised his voice again, but it apparently didn’t carry far enough to where Ha-neul stood. Ha-neul hung from the bridge railing, peering down below.
“What~did~you~say~?”
“Not yet! I! Haven’t…. Ugh, forget it.”
Hyun-woo raised his voice even louder before letting out a heavy sigh. From the way Ha-neul was smiling, it seemed she was just teasing and pretending not to hear. For some reason, I always became childish around Ha-neul, so I tried to compose my expression.
“Oppa, are you sulking? I’m coming down right… huh??”
That was the moment.
Her body, dangling loosely from the railing, lost its balance and plummeted below the bridge. Hyun-woo watched in a daze as Ha-neul’s falling silhouette traced its arc.
Splash! The vivid sound of the child plunging into the black river flowing beneath the bridge jolted me back to reality.
“Ha-neul!!”
Without a moment to think, Hyun-woo ran and threw himself into the river. Splash—! Ice-cold water engulfed his entire body.
‘…Gasp!’
The December winter river was far colder than imagination. The biting chill felt like thousands of needles piercing my entire body, stealing my breath away.
To make matters worse, the current was far stronger than it appeared from above. The heavy school uniform and coat absorbed water, dragging my body downward like a weighted quilt.
‘Get it together, Lee Hyun-woo!’
Hyun-woo bit his lip and pushed through the current. In the distance, a small shadow drifted along the water’s surface. The red-ribboned hair swayed helplessly in the waves.
“Ha-neul! Jung Ha-neul!”
Hyun-woo thrashed his arms with every ounce of strength he possessed. His lungs felt like they would burst, sensation draining from his limbs, but he couldn’t stop. He barely managed to reach out and grab Ha-neul’s collar.
“Gasp! Got….”
But there was no time for relief. Ha-neul, already unconscious, was as heavy as a stone. Though Hyun-woo strained with all his might to lift her above the surface, the fierce current swirled around them both as if to swallow them whole.
‘This won’t work….’
His breath was running out. His vision flickered like a strobe light. Hyun-woo’s body was gradually losing strength, beginning to sink beneath the water. Fear was creeping in when—
Splash! A massive spray erupted as someone dove in beside them.
“Hyun-woo, grab on!”
With an urgent shout, a rough, large hand simultaneously seized Hyun-woo by the nape of his neck and Ha-neul by the waist. It was Jung Ha-neul’s Father. With fierce determination, he cut through the current and hauled both children onto the riverbank.
“Cough, cough! Gah….”
The moment I broke the surface, I collapsed onto the ground and vomited the water that had filled my lungs. My airways burned as if torn apart, and my entire body trembled like an aspen leaf. Yet I wiped my wet eyes and turned to look beside me.
“Ha-neul…?”
Ha-neul lay motionless in the Restaurant Owner’s Husband’s arms. The hair tie that had been tightly bound had come undone, and her face had turned a deathly pale blue, drained of all color. Those small lips that were always chattering fell silent and rigid.
“Ha-neul, open your eyes! Ha-neul!”
I crawled forward and patted her cheek, but her head only lolled limply. My heart plummeted. My vision turned white.
“What do I do, Ha-neul! Come on, wake up!”
“The hospital! Honey, let’s go to the hospital!”
The Restaurant Owner’s Husband didn’t even have time to change out of his wet clothes before he placed Ha-neul in the car. The Restaurant Owner’s Wife grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.
“Hyun-woo, get in quickly! Just to be safe, let’s get you checked out at the hospital too.”
I sat beside the unconscious Ha-neul. Huddled in the corner of the back seat, I grasped her ice-cold hand and rubbed it ceaselessly. I should have held on. I should have gripped tighter, faster. Guilt crushed my chest.
When we arrived at the Hospital, the medical staff rushed out. Examinations and treatments followed in a blur.
Fortunately, I was diagnosed with only mild hypothermia and bruising—rest and warmth would suffice. Instead of a sigh of relief, I spoke with a heavy voice.
“…How is Ha-neul? Is she alright?”
“Patient Jung Ha-neul shows no significant abnormalities on examination, but she hasn’t regained consciousness yet, so we need to monitor her condition a bit longer.”
Still, a hopeful answer came that she would likely wake soon. The Restaurant Owner’s Wife exhaled in relief and turned to me. Her bloodshot eyes swirled with worry, gratitude, and profound sorrow.
“Hyun-woo, thank you so much. You saved Ha-neul. I don’t know how to repay this debt….”
The Restaurant Owner’s Husband silently patted my shoulder. After changing into dry clothes bought from a nearby Clothing Store, it was already well past 10 PM.
“It’s gotten so late. I’ll drive you home. Get in.”
I wanted to say I wanted to stay beside Ha-neul, but outside was already pitch black. In the end, I got into the Restaurant Owner’s Husband’s car and left the Hospital.
“You can drop me off around here.”
“…Are you sure? I can take you all the way to your home.”
“It’s an alley, so it’s difficult for cars to enter. This is enough. Thank you.”
Not mentioning the Orphanage’s address was perhaps my last shred of pride.
In the quiet hours when everyone slept, I slipped into my room like a stray cat and pulled the blanket over my head.
I curled up tightly. For the first time in my life, I prayed desperately to a god I’d never sought before. Please keep Ha-neul safe. Let her forget the terrible memories of today and smile again.
Days passed. Ha-neul was discharged safely, but she had caught the flu and her fever had risen to 39 degrees.
“So I need to hurry home. I’m sorry, Hyun-woo.”
The Restaurant Owner’s Wife hugged me tightly one last time. That was the last time. I checked under the Bridge faithfully after school, but all that remained in their spot was a pile of old boxes I used to sit on.
‘…I should have asked where the Gukbap Restaurant was.’
Then I could have visited Ha-neul later. At least I should have asked for her phone number. As I cursed my own stupidity and kicked at a stray pebble, someone approached and spoke to me.
“Oh, there you are! The Gukbap Restaurant owner’s daughter asked me to give you something. I stopped by the shop recently and picked it up. Here.”
What I received was an envelope with a squirrel drawn on it. Ha-neul wrote me a letter? With trembling hands, I carefully opened the envelope.
[Hi oppa, it’s me, Ha-neul. How have you been?
I wanted to come see you, but Mom says I have to wait until my cold is completely gone… I don’t know when that’ll be.
So, oppa, can’t you come visit me? Without you, everything is so boring and unfun.
I’m giving you our shop’s business card, so please come play as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting for you.
P.S. Oh, I just realized I never properly told you your name, did I? Tell me for sure when you come next time!
-Ha-neul-]
Inside the envelope was a business card for the Restaurant run by Ha-neul’s parents. “Jeong Dam-eun Restaurant.” I repeated that name over and over, carefully placing the card deep in my pocket.
‘I need to visit Ha-neul tomorrow without fail.’
Had he not awakened as an S-Rank Hunter the next day, he would have certainly sought out the restaurant to see her.
But fate, cruelly, had sealed that memory away, and he had lived for a long time yearning for her warmth in the depths of his unconscious mind.
So the reason he had longed for her was….
.
.
.
“Lee Hyun-woo! Are you alright?”
How much time had passed? The terrible pain that had burrowed into his mind and the waves of memories that had surged forth had long since settled into calm stillness. Hyun-woo lifted his head blankly and gazed at the person standing before him.
“I never knew recovering memories could be this agonizing! What should I do…. Are you in much pain?”
The moment her voice reached his ears, time, which had been frozen, began to flow once more. Hyun-woo slowly lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile.
His savior, who had spent a lifetime searching even after losing her memory, now stood right before his eyes.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————